Report: Dick Advocaat to leave Sunderland if they lost to West Ham

Sunderland take on West Ham this weekend at the Stadium of Light, and a report in the Daily Mail claims that Dick Advocaat will quit as head coach if the Black Cats lose.

West Ham are currently on a great run of away form, and are favourites to pick up another three points against a Sunderland team who have yet to win a game this season.

This is set to be Advocaat's last game in charge if the Hammers do win, with the report claiming that he is frustrated with the limitations of his squad, and is ready to walk away if another man is better suited to the job.

It is stated that Advocaat took his first-team staff to dinner earlier this week, with it suspected that this was a farewell gesture from the 68-year-old boss.

Defeat to West Ham would leave Sunderland bottom of the Premier League, with just two points, heading into the international break. There would be a sizeable gap between the Black Cats and top flight safety, and any new manager would have their work cut out to survive in the Premier League.

It is claimed that the Sunderland management have already earmarked their preferred candidate to replace Advocaat, with Burnley boss Sean Dyche said to be the prime target.

Dyche was in line to take charge on Wearside over the summer, before Advocaat changed his mind and returned to the role after keeping the Black Cats in the Premier League, and the Sunderland board clearly feel the English coach is the perfect choice to secure survival, and then ensure the Wearside club start to progress forward.

Billy Hawkins

Billy is a freelance writer who contributes to various sites concerning football. Known to possess an obsession with statistics, Eastern European club sides, and Victorian football, he focuses upon the untapped potential of the Football League in the belief it is more enjoyable than the Premier League.